Easter Market Day + Dinner + Celebration Biscuits

In pictures, Market Day today.   Started at 4.45am by adding the pre-measured water to the bread pans that had the ingredients put in them the night before.  I do this because it is tooo hard to measure out the right mls of water when your eyes are half shut at 4.45am lol.  Then into the machines and after I started the dough I went back to bed until just after 6am.  Up at 6 and start baking while doing lunches and getting kids ready for school.  First child out the door just after 7 (thankyou C!) to get the train, two more children out the door at 7.30 (thankyou S!) which just leaves the youngest home with me.  Keep baking.

Finished baking at 12.30pm. Kindy run to be at Kindy by 12.45.  Home for a little bit to finish off then to school at 2 to set up.  Do the Market Day, pack up, home by about 4.  At 5, put the bread pans in the breadmaker to do the dough for the pizzas for dinner.  I fill the dough pans when I am doing market day prep, and put them in the fridge so they are ready to add the water to when I get home from school in the afternoon.

Hot out of the oven and freshly glazed... yum!

Quinn's 4th Birthday Party

The littlest guy turned four last week.  How about that.  We had his party at the 'new park' which is a pretty cool park with hammock swings, water play area etc.  It was rather warm, but that kind of worked in our favour because most people were obviously at home in their air-con.

Anyway.  It was a very very simple party.  Fruit.  Cake.  and kids!  With exams coming up and it having just been the first week of school, I really needed to keep it simple.  All that Quinn needed was a time to have fun with his friends.

Birthday Biscuit Mix in a Jar

I've seen (better) versions of these on blogs for a while, especially around Christmas.  I really liked the idea, I just couldn't commit myself to doing 2-3 dozen of them as Christmas gifts.  Yet I still wanted to make one for someone I thought might like it... So, I decided to do one as a birthday gift idea for Zeke's friend turning 8.  He likes cooking and his Mum said chocolate was okay, so that was that sorted and the idea was ready to rock.

Yellow for a Special Birthday today

Five years ago today, a tiny little Brenna baby girl was born.

...today for making Brenna's Birthday cupcakes, I decided to go with yellow. 

There were yellow lemons on the bench, yellow and white flowers in the vase.  Lemon cupcakes I decided.  Used this recipe from Taste.com and completely didn't follow the method, rather put the whole lot in the bowl and whizzed it.  It worked :) but I am sure it would have been a lot lighter had I followed the method.  I was just aware of the time and needing to be at school in time for Zeke's Class Play performance.

Despite wondering if they would turn out at all, the cupcakes are made ready to sing Happy Birthday tonight.

later this afternoon, when the boys were home from swimming, Brooke called everyone in the kitchen to show what she has been working on, now finished.  She had finished it earlier in the term but had been keeping it aside until today.

Class 7s make their very own doll from scratch, all the children make one, both boys and girls.  Most of the time they make one that resembles themselves... however Brooke did hers as 'Brenna'.  She's done a lovely job and you could see she was really pleased with the work she put in and how it turned out.

Cake-less cake. Fruit cake #3

For Zeke for his birthday celebration at school today.




This time I did some little 'insets' in the 'cake'. First, push a biscuit cutter into the 'cake' (melon) and using a pointy knife, remove the shape ie star by cutting/picking, then

Quinn turned THREE in February

My littlest son turned three on the 6th of February. I was going for simple this time round. Just something little for my littlest boy, in a great little park, with a handful of people who will take the time to do things with him, make him feel special and make him smile. There were a couple of people who couldn't make it on the day due to Church and Family reasons, and we did miss them!

and simple it was.

Cooked Yoda and raw Evil One - oh and shake your minifigs

Results from the Star Wars 'Cookie' Cutters for a certain boy's 10th Birthday Party. I didn't think they would really turn out, you know, not quite like on the box or how I've seen in blogs but they did!

Brenna's Birth Date today

Four years ago today, in the early hours of the morning, at 5.40am, after being induced the night before, a tiny little girl slipped from my body. The last time we would touch each other. My heart had wanted to hold on to her, refused to let go... and my body was listening. Despite three very painful (and heartbreaking) contractions the afternoon before I was still holding on... so the induction it was.

My eldest turns Twelve - Brooke's Birthday Celebration

Hope you had a great day/night/morning Brooke! Brooke had a couple of her good friends over and then after dinner in the evening, the boys went home and the girls stayed for sleepover and cooked breakfast. I asked Brooke to do out a 'party plan' request list and most of her requests were met, in terms of party food, dinner (home made burgers, salads etc).

one of the birds did catch on fire shhh - roast pheasant anyone?! - and was quickly dunked in a cup of water.

Happy Birthing Day Mum for the 25th of May

Happy Birthing Day, Mum for the 25th May. Sharing these lovely flowers with you, that came for my Birthday this week from Michael :)